Coordinating Committee on Workplaces (KOSTÄTT)

The Coordinating Committee on Workplaces (KOSTÄTT) is a committee set up by the accident insurance institutions’ central associations. It consists of representatives of the "BGs" (institutions responsible for statutory accident insurance and prevention) for the industry and trade sectors, the agricultural BGs and the statutory accident insurance institutions for the public sector. The committee’s primary task is to provide a common platform for the interests of the accident insurance institutions with regard to the "Arbeitsstättenverordnung" (Workplaces Ordinance), particularly in dealings with the government’s "Ausschuss für Arbeitsstätten" (Committee on Workplaces). It also stipulates which expert committees ⁄ groups should be involved in the drafting of a workplace rule and which expert committee ⁄ group should be in charge. KOSTÄTT also specifies the general standpoint to be adopted by representatives of the accident insurance institutions in their work on the "Ausschuss für Arbeitsstätten", as well as deciding which of the accident insurance institutions’ employees are appointed to the working groups of the "Ausschuss für Arbeitsstätten". The actual appointing is done by the accident insurance institutions’ central associations. KOSTÄTT is based at the "Hauptverband der gewerblichen Berufsgenossenschaften" (German Federation of Institutions for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention, HVBG). Guidance information on the new Workplaces Ordinance from accident insurance institutions Aside from a few exceptions, the new "Arbeitsstättenverordnung" (Workplaces Ordinance) is a direct transposition of the EC Workplace Directive, 89 ⁄ 654 ⁄ EEC. Unlike the previous version, the revised ordinance specifies targets rather than precise rules for the workplace. Owners of micro and small enterprises, in particular, are likely to find it difficult to fulfil the requirements set out in the protection objectives in a way that makes sense in their day-to-day operations. The federal states’ inspectorates and the accident insurance institutions’ inspection services will need to launch a major consulting effort. One of the core tasks of the accident insurance institutions’ expert committees/groups is already drafting guidance information on how to implement governmental OSH regulations in line with the conditions in specific industries and thus helping employers achieve legal certainty. Indeed, the accident insurance institutions already offer such guidance for a number of the general requirements set out in the new Workplaces Ordinance. This table (PDF file: 33 KB) (only available in german) lists the requirements and the corresponding guidance information. Most of the guidance documents listed in it can be downloaded for free from the Database of BG Rules and Regulations (only available in german). Table of the requirements in the old and new workplaces ordinances The new "Arbeitsstättenverordnung" (Workplaces Ordinance) is intended to give enterprises more leeway, by means of flexible basic regulations, to tailor OSH measures to their own specific situation. Unlike the previous version, the revised ordinance specifies targets rather than precise rules for the workplace. For example, there are no longer any specific requirements regarding the height and minimum area of work rooms or the dimensions of break rooms, on-call rooms and toilets/washing facilities. Special requirements concerning, for example, visual contact with the outside, emergency call facilities at workstations subject to a heightened accident risk and provision of seating at workplaces have also been dropped. The BGZ is just one body which offers a table comparing the requirements in the old and revised versions of the ordinance (PDF file: 83 KB) (only available in german). "Verordnung über Arbeitsstätten" (Ordinance on Workplaces), "Bundesgesetzblatt" (Federal Law Gazette) 2004, Part I, No. 44 (PDF file: 141 KB) (only available in german) Contacts Supervision Dipl.-Ing. Peter Löpmeier Großhandels- und Lagerei-Berufsgenossenschaft (BG for the wholesale trade and warehousing industry) Management Dr. Olaf Gémesi BG-Zentrale für Sicherheit und Gesundheit (BGZ) des HVBG Tel.+49 (0)2241 2311472 E-Mail